 | Danny Messersmith, member of the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club, and Past District Governor 2016-17, passed away on October 27, 2022. Dan was born in Springfield Illinois. He attended Illinois State University for one year prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy. His service in the Navy took him several times to Vietnam and to 32 other countries and territories in the world. While in the Navy, he met his future wife, Janis. They were married in 1971 when he was discharged and returned to Illinois so he could continue with college. In 1974 he completed his history degree. In December he was offered and accepted a position with the university in the Financial Aid Office specializing in Veterans' Benefits and State Scholarship programs. In 1978, Dan and his family moved to Kingman, Arizona. Dan had accepted a Director of Financial Aid-Veterans' Services position with Mohave Community College. Dan spent a total of 30 years at Mohave Community College serving in several Director and Dean roles. He also chaired the Kingman Festival of the Arts for many years, for the Mohave Community College Foundation. In 2008, he retired from the college. Coming to Rotary in 2003, Dan found a new passion in life, serving as the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club secretary, then club president, and working on every service project and event for the club. The reigns of the Kingman Festival of the Arts where handed over to the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club, and Dan continued as advisor to the new chair. Along the way he served District 5490 as: District Secretary, PETS/SETS facilitator, Leadership Academy Faculty, board member with The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona, District Vocational Chair, and three years as an Assistant District Governor. He served as the last Rotary District 5490 Governor in 2016-17. A firm believer in the Rotary Foundation, Dan was a Major Donor Level 1 and was charter member of Rl's Paul Harris Society. In 2012, he changed his club name from "Dan" to "Danny" because only family calls him Danny. As a grateful member of the greater Family of Rotary it only seemed like the right thing to do. Danny received a Service Above Self award in 2020 from the Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona for his many years of service. In 2022, Danny received the Rotary International Service Above Self Award, Rotary's highest honor. Danny also received the Kingman 2022 Andy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Danny loved his family, history, off-roading, camping, and Rotary. A Celebration of Life for PDG Danny Messersmith will be held on Dec 10, 2 pm at Mohave Community College, room 240, 1971 Jagerson Ave., Kingman, AZ 86409. All are welcome to attend. Donations are suggested to the Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona, in Danny's memory, instead of flowers. |
PDG Danny Messersmith received the Rotary Service Above Self Award -- the highest honor bestowed by Rotary International -- at this year's District Conference. From left, PDG Jeanie Morgan, PDG Charlie Miller, Rotary International President's Representative Nabil Oudeh, Danny Messersmith, PDG Bret McKeand, DG Larry Horton and DGE Kevin Pitts.
